The present invention relates to a method for controlling the laying of a silicone string for sealing purposes between two elements, particularly between the crankcase and the sump of an internal combustion engine.
The method according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
providing one of said two elements in a position for receiving a silicone string, PA1 providing a robot with a laser-meter head for measuring distances by reflection, PA1 laying a silicone string on said one of said two elements, PA1 controlling said robot so as to move said laser-meter head adjacent to the laying surface of the silicone string, causing said head to follow a predetermined path corresponding to a theorical configuration of said string, PA1 during said movement of said laser-meter head, processing output signals from said laser-meter head for continuously measuring the thickness of the silicone string as a difference between the distances of said laser head from said laying surface and the top of said string, and PA1 checking, during said measuring operation, whether the measured thickness of said string is comprised between a predetermined minimum and maximum value.
In a first embodiment, which will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 4, the crankcase of an internal combustion engine is positioned by locating means for insuring with great precision that said laying surface is in a predetermined position, so as to allow the following measuring operation.
In another embodiment, which will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 5, relating to the case in which the laying surface and the path of the robot lie on planes which are not parallel to each other, said laser-meter head is also used to determine the position in space of at least three points of the laying surface, so as to compute the position of such surface.